The 72nd Hunger Games
by NewKindofCinderella
Summary: I play the games to survive, I listen to what I am supposes to do, I remained quiet, but I slowly lost who I was and became someone so completely different. I feared the monster that this girl was and the smile she plastered on her face. I am not a flame or even a measly spark just a sheep that does what she is told.
1. Reaping Day

_ "Come away little lass come away to the water,_  
_Away from the life you that you always knew._"

* * *

As the girl sat on top of me bashing my head in with a rock I knew it was too late, I knew I was dying. My only hope was if I could reach a few inches away and grab the knife that the girl had previously knocked out of my hand. But everything was getting dark and hazy. I couldn't even remember who the girl that was bashing my head in was or even who I was, I wish I knew.

* * *

Electric, solar, and nuclear power that is what District 5 does. We power the Capitol and all the Districts. The people of District 5 are clever and cunning, were sly as a fox one might say. But being smart seems to never take us very far in the games. We don't have the fighting skills that other Districts have. Are tributes usually last around one to two days and that's it. We have a total of two victors Vidia Steam and Isaac Copperwood, which is better than District 12, but not by much. And thanks to a low population in District 5, every child between the ages twelve to eighteen has a very high and very scary chance of being reaped. Very few dare to get tesserae as it is like hitting the final nail on your own coffin. But thankfully District 5 has a very strong middle class so tesserae are rarely needed for families.

Family is very important in District 5. It isn't unusual for family to have five to six kids. In my own family I have a total of seven older brothers. My family runs a butcher shop which isn't the most glamorize of thing. It's usually looked down upon like most store jobs are because it says that you weren't smart enough to work in a power plant. My oldest brother Nikolaus will inherit the store from my father, then the twin Damien and Derek work as power plant security officers, theirs Grant who does system analyst, Linus does maintenance, and then Klaus, Alexander, and me are all under the age of eighteen so we work in our father`s shop.

I guess I should tell you a little about myself if you're going to follow this story of a likely dead tribute. My name is Scout Goldenwood, I am fourteen years old and live in District 5 (which you probably already figured out from my wonderful explanation of the District). I am the youngest of eight and the only girl. I had brunette hair and a square shaped face (two common traits for District 5 in appearance), with big brown eyes, and a very short and thin body type with chicken legs. And this together makes me look much younger than I am. It's weird too because all my brothers are big and bulky, the only good thing is I can out run all of them. I can out run most people actually, that's what I am best at, I'm fast. I won our District running competition six years in a row in school. The only other thing I'm good at is spotting a lie and by knowing when someone is lying I know how to perfectly lie myself. Which my mother always said was a bad thing but I never saw it as one. My mother passed away when I was five, I don't remember much about her other than that I became the caretaker in the house after. This leads me to this morning.

This morning is important, today is reaping day. Which means everyone is District 5 will be getting up early to spend a little time with their families as we are the only District that still has to work on reaping day, I mean someone has to be powering all the technology that is being used today, including District 12 fences which we rarely power. This meant that I got up even earlier (who I'm I kidding I didn't even sleep at all last night, who could). I made breakfast for everyone, which sounds simple but I always make the best meal I can because who knows it may be the last meal we all eat together. I lay the bowl of scramble eggs on the table completing the meal.  
"Breakfast is ready!" I call up the stairs, which lead to the rumbling of seven giant boys upstairs. I walked over the door and found my dad getting the store ready for after the reaping, dad said he always made the most money after the reaping, you know people like to celebrate their kids not being reaped.  
"Dad, breakfast is ready" I say  
"Coming" he says back  
I walk back behind the shop to find all seven of my brothers sitting waiting at the table. Damien, Derek, Grant, and Linus don't live at home anymore but the always stay the night before the reaping and eat breakfast with us before going to work. I made my way over to the table and sat at the end next to Alexander and across from Grant. My father comes in and takes his seat at the head of the table. He grabs his cup and raises it  
"To Klaus, Alexander, and Scout, May the odds be ever in your favor" he says like every year, and then takes a drink.

We eat breakfast quietly which is rare in this family were usually very loud and rowdy. We all slowly finish, Derek and Damien finish first they get up and give me a kiss on the head and say they we be watching on the screens, then head to work. This is repeated two more times with Grant and Linus and then my father and Nikolaus go back to work in the front of the shop leave just the three of us of reaping age at the table.  
"I want you two to promise not to volunteer, if I get reaped. I don't think dad would be able to take it if two of his children were in the games" I say breaking the silences as I pick up my plate and put it in the sink.  
"Don't be ridiculous Scout, you're our baby sister we would never let in anything happen to you" Klaus says  
"Why would you even say that, your name is only in it three times the likelihood of you being reaped is low." Alexander adds  
"I just have a bad feeling about this year, OK" I say  
"You have a bad feeling every year Scout" Alexander says  
"Fine if I'm not going to get a promise out of either you, I will play you for it" I said knowing both of them would think they could beat me.  
"Deal" they both said in unison  
"The usual game" Klaus said  
"But of course"

Our usual betting game was one of Nikolaus's inventions. One that they couldn't beat me in strength and one I couldn't beat them in speed. They way that the game worked was that we would go in the walk in refrigerator for the meat. And chose one of the cows thighs and place one of the chains we used for hanging them to ceiling in front of it, and then the one to get the most knifes in the loops of the chains wins.  
We made our way in to the refrigerator and Klaus and Alexander prepare the cow and I grab the eight knifes. Klaus goes first and get six of the eight knifes into the loops, then Alexander goes and gets four of the eight knifes in. For years this had been the way my brothers had gotten me to do things but once I turned ten I got sick of it and practices for hours until I got good at it and it became the game I used to get my brothers to do things for me. I pulled the four knifes out of the cow and stood at the spot, I took a second staring at my target and picked up each knife one after another until I was done. All the knifes had made it in to the loops in the chain, I had won are game.  
"I guess I have your promise then" I say  
"Promise to what?" Nikolaus asks coming in to the refrigerator  
"Promise that they will do the dish" I say covering, I didn't want Nikolaus or Dad knowing because they would have told my brother`s to ignore our deal and volunteer to protect me.  
"Well they can do it after the reaping, all three of you need to get ready" he says pulling a knife out of the cow thigh.  
Klaus and Alexander make their way out and I follow behind them when Nikolaus stops me.  
"And Scout, Lila brought you one of her old dress to wear" he added. Lila was a girl that really liked Nikolaus and Nikolaus really liked her.  
"Well tell her thank you for me, if you see her again today" which he probably would  
"I will"

Upstairs I change in to the dress that Lila gave me it was pink and lacey, it hangs on me because it`s two size to big; I matched it with my light pink rubber boots. So much electricity was running in District 5 that it was best to wear rubber shoes, legend has it the one day electricity surged through the District electrocuting half the populations, so now everyone wears rubber boots to protect themselves and it the reason why the population is so small in District 5. It's just a legend but it is still better safe than sorry. After putting on the dress and boots, I put my hair into pigtails (a signature of mine, childish yes, but it fits me.) after I pull out my mother jewelry box from underneath my bed and open it, i pull out her wedding ring. I put it on every year for good luck. My father made it for my mother, back in the day my dad came from one the few poor families and fell in love with my mother whose father owned the butcher shop. When my father married my mother (the oldest in the family) he inherited the shop. After my mother passed my father gave me all her jewelry including her ring. But it felt wrong to wear it all the time so I wear it on reaping day.

Once I was done I made my way back downstairs were Klaus and Alexander were waiting. We all go out in to the shop were Dad and Nikolaus were still getting things ready but stopped once we came in.  
"Time to go" I say

We all quietly walk to the town center. The closer we got the more the bad feeling grew until I think my heart kept skipping beats. At the town square my father and Nikolaus broke off from use to wear the adults stood and we got in line. Once out figures were pricked for identification Klaus and Alexander broke off and went to the boys section and I went to the girls section. I found a spot next to a girl with red hair from my grade at school all I could remember about her was that she skipped a grade, I didn't even remember her name but she gave me a smile and I gave her a smile back.  
"Nervous?" she asks me  
"Beyond" I tell her  
"Don't worry, the odds are more in the favor of those with more papers in the bowl, and I heard that eleven families took tesserae this year." She says  
I know this sounds terrible but knowing the eleven families took tesserae relaxed me, like it gave me less of chances, but the bad feeling remand deep down. As trying to relax myself by repeating the facts the girl told me the District mayor came on stage and gave the same speech he gives every year.

Eleven families  
Older age girls  
Eleven families

Our District Escort Elsa Glitz comes one stage, her hair is a shade of lime green and her eyes are the color of electric blue her outfit is utterly ridiculous and I hated her Capitol accents. I tried to hear what she said but the facts keep repeating louder in my head.

Older age girls  
Eleven famiLIES  
Older age GIRLS  
Eleven FAMILIES

Elsa makes her way to the girls bowl

Older AGE GIRLS  
EleVEN FAMILIES

She pulls a piece of paper out of the bowl and makes her way back to the microphone.

OlDER AGE GIRLS  
ElEVEN FAMILES

She takes an eternity opening the paper

OLDER AGE GIRLS  
ELEVEN FAMILIES

"Scout Goldenwood" Else calls and the world slowly stops

I hear a cry and some say "my little girl" it was my father  
"I'm so sorry" the girl next to me says  
"Come on" a Peacekeeper says  
I move unsteadily, to the stage. At the stairs I trip going up scrapping my knees on them. Elsa pulls me to a certain spot on the stage then walks back to microphone. I keep my face down looking at me feet.  
"And for the gentlemen" she says walking over the bowl  
My head shoots up and I find Klaus and Alexander in the crowd and shake my head no at them. I beg that they don't volunteer I can't have them do that for me. Elsa comes back to the microphone with a piece of paper and opens it.  
"Tomas Thistlemitch" Elsa calls

I didn't know who Tomas is but I stared down my brothers. Alexander was holding Klaus back and I could all most hear him telling that they promised. Tomas made his way to the stage, he was big and muscular, he had the same square shaped head and brown hair as me but his eyes were green. He was probably sixteen.

"Any volunteers?" Elsa asks, I stare at my brothers and the positions seemed to have change with Klaus and Alexander, Like Alexander had changed his mind and Klaus had come to his senses. But thankfully neither of them did. Elsa has us shake hands. He is strong.

"Then let's hear a cheer for the District 5 tributes" Elsa says it stays quiet no one every cheers, they know were never coming back. Peacekeepers walked me and Tomas in the building and the doors shut behind us.


	2. Goodbyes and Train Rides

_Come away little lad come away to the darkness,__  
__To the ones appointed to see it through."_

* * *

Inside Justice Building I sat in a room awaiting my family. When they came in, I ran into my father's arms and began crying.  
"It`s OK little bird, I know you can do this your smart, and fast, and you can do this OK"  
"Daddy" I said but more tears came falling  
"It's OK" he said rubbing my back; he pulled me off of him so that I could give Klaus and Alexander a hug.  
"Thank you for keeping your promise" I said  
"I can't believe you were right" Alexander said  
"I am always right" I said through a mix of tears and a laugh "Where did Nikolaus go?" I asked  
"He went to go get the rest of your brothers from work" Dad said  
"Do you have a token?" Alexander asked me  
"Yes mothers wedding ring" I turn to dad "If that's OK"  
"Of course honey" He said giving me another hug "I love you so much Scout, your my little girl, my little bird, please come home." His crying my father crying he never cries.  
"I will daddy, I will try my hardest to come home to you, but if I don't please take care of them their going to need you." I said  
Alexander and Klaus gave me one last hug then a Peacekeeper came in and took them away, I gave them one last look memorizing as much as I could about them.  
"I love you, Scout" My father says one last time before leave.

Not much time later, Nikolaus, Damien, Derek, Grant, and Linus come in the room. More tears and I love you are shared. I get Nikolaus to promises me that he will marry Lila next year if I don't come back and it when he hugging me he leans in and whispers  
"Remember the game we play" he says and then the Peacekeepers come in and ask them to leave.  
"Listen to what mockingbird has to say" Nikolaus said as a Peacekeeper pulls him out of the room. I don't understand the cryptic message but I do realize that my oldest brother hadn't made up the game for betting or fun, he made it to teach us how to be useful with knifes. I understood why he had spent so much time teaching me how to throw a knife he was teaching my how to use a weapon. I was skilled to use a weapon. I was smart, fast, and skilled with knifes I had a chance I could come home. A few more Aunts, Uncles, and Cousins come to visit me but soon enough Peacekeepers are the only ones to come into the room. They take out of the room and I meet up with Tomas. We are taken to a car were Elsa is standing with the door open.

"Don't talk at all" Tomas whispers to me, I'm about to ask why but I notice something in his hands. It was a mockingbird pin; in fact it was my mother's mockingbird pin. How had Tomas ended up with it? I realize that Nikolaus didn't go get my brothers they were probably on their ways since the second my name was called. He went home and got the pin, but why?

I get into the car, then Elsa gets in and then Tomas gets in. Elsa chatters the whole way there at least one of us was happy. Elsa was young probably late twenty's but she could be way older for all I know under all that makeup. She had only been our District escort for three years.  
Once at the train station Peacekeepers lined the way. I saw my family behind some of the Peacekeepers I almost said something but I remembered what Tomas said, so I stayed quiet. I waved at them as we walked past and I noticed an exchange between Tomas and Nickolas it was subtle but it was there, they both gave each other a nod. Tomas got on the train and Elsa followed behind him and I went in last. I stood at the door way look at my family and my District 5, the door slowly shut but the door had a window and I kept looking out it as the train pulled away. I looked at my family one last time possibly forever. I rest my back against the door and sunk to the floor and cried. I wasn't going to win, I wasn't going to see District 5 ever again, and I wasn't going to see my family ever again. I was statistically going to die on the first or second day; I was going to fade away as if I had never existed.

After two hours of crying I joined everyone in the dining cart and took a seat next to Tomas across from our Mentors Vidia and Isaac, Vidia was older and had Mentored Isaac into winning six years after her win. Vidia had five children of her own; if I remember correctly her oldest daughter had been reaped and had died on the third day. And Isaac had never married and had no children but I could understand why, it must have been hard for Vidia.

"Isn't this all soooo exciting" Elsa says sitting herself at the head of the table "now I know I have only been District 5`s escort for a few years but I have feeling this is the year that District 5 will have a winner."  
She's lying, I can tell in the way she says it. We're going to die fast and she knows it, in fact I think she actually pities us, are Districts reputation for quick deaths is infamous even compared to District 11 and 12 at least they know how to survive.

"Oh shut up Elsa, you know what we have here, another two coffins that will be in storage on are way back, and I will have to apologize to two more parents that I couldn't save their poor unprepared children." Vidia shout at Elsa then throws her plate against the wall and storms out of the cart probably to her room.

"Don't worry dearies; she's become rather negative after her own daughter death. Guess she believes that if her own daughter couldn't win then no one else can do it" Isaac says  
"And how have you stayed to so positive?" Tomas asks  
"Drinking" Isaac says simply  
"Enjoying your meal, honey" Elsa asks me trying to changing the subject  
I turn to Tomas wonder if I can speak now  
"She's mute" Tomas "Has been since her mother passed"  
Wait when did I agree to be mute, I have things I like to say before I die. I shoot Tomas a look and he gives me one that says he will explain later.  
"OH, I'M SOOOO SORRY" Elsa loudly and slowly  
"Elsa, she doesn't know how to speak, she can still hear you" Isaac says taking a drinking  
I still want to answer her question to I point to my drink and gave her a thumbs up.  
"Oh you like the Hot Chocolate, do you? Just wait until you try some of the food in the Capitol." Elsa says

Then Vidia burst back into the cart "Recaps are on" She says

We all get up and make our way over to a big couch and Elsa turns on the TV. District 1 is shown first both are volunteer, the girl, Shimmer is stunning and the boy, Glaze is quite handsome too their both eighteen. Then District 2 comes on once again their both volunteers and looked very menacing the girl, Maia was seventeen and the boy, Dax was eighteen and I noticed that both his eyes were different colors the left was blue and the right was brown.  
"Now those are some Careers" Isaac says  
"Now honey Careers, are people who train there whole life for these games" Elsa explains to me, but I already knew this. I just shake my head to tell I understood. She looked very pleased with herself.  
I missed District 3 but District 4 came on the girl, Neri had bright red hair and was Twelve, I almost screamed out loud for some to volunteer for her but no one did. I can't believe that no one volunteered for her, in stupid District 4 there had to be one Career female to volunteer for her. The boy, Cray was eighteen and volunteer, his appearance gave away that he was a Career.  
"What on earth do they put in the water in District 4 that boy is hot" Elsa says fanning herself  
"Shut up" Vidia says for good reason too because were on, I'm show tripping going on the stage and you can see my scraped knees bleeding on the screen. Tomas on the other hand looked strong and sure of himself like it was his place to be on that stage.  
I zone out for a bit until we get to District 8 the girl called, Vera was very beautiful she looked like a doll, the Capitol was going to love her for her appearance alone.  
"What a doll" Elsa says confirming what I was thinking  
"Yeah she's a cutie" Isaac says and Vidia rolls her eyes and punches his shoulder.  
I look back to the screen and the District 9 boy I don't catch his name but he is another twelve year old and again no one volunteers for him. It goes on To District 10, 11, and 12 nothing special in there Tributes.

"Well I'm going to bed. I will leave you four to strategize" Elsa turning off the TV and walks off. The door shuts and Vidia gets up "Well I for one am also going to bed"  
"Wait Vidia, you might wait to hear what the boy's plan is, it includes Scout over here. That I know from buying meat from her father's store can talk, is now mute since her mother death."  
"Interesting" Vidia says take seat in chair across the couch  
"Yes I would like to know the plan too, since you know it includes me not being able to talk" I say  
"Well" Tomas says getting up from the couch "I was think you know how last year Johanna Mason pretend to be a weakling but she wasn't, I think if we play our cards right we can do it again with Scout."  
"And why would you want me to do that, even if we make it more than the first two days only one use could win" I say  
"Well I don't want to win"  
"So you want to die"  
"Yes"  
"Well I don't believe you"  
"Really Scout your brother Klaus told me that you could spot a lie a mile away, when I say I want to die, I mean it"  
I listen in his voice he meant it.  
"But why, why should I live and you die"  
"Because I have no one left my only living family member was my older sister and she died five years ago in these games. Scout you have a family you have a very big family who needs you and I'm going to return you to them because they shouldn't feel what it's like, not how I felt it."  
Tomas was being totally honest, now that I think about I did know Tomas he was a friend of my brother Klaus and when his sister Jean died four years ago, Tomas was left with no family and had to drop out of school to get a job so that he would have money and a home, he had probably taken out as many tesserae as he could.  
"So I can see the weakling but could Scout be a killer" Vidia says  
"She could be if she wanted" Tomas said "I remember a game that Klaus told me his family played"  
"She could be a killer because of a game" Isaac asks  
"This one, yes" Tomas says  
I watch as Tomas takes an apple and a knife of the table. Tomas hands me the Knife and rest the apple on Vidia head  
"What on earth are you doing boy?" Vidia asks  
"Just watch" Tomas says "Scout could you" I stand up in front of Vidia  
"Hit me with the knife and you will be dead before we even make it to the Capitol" Vidia threatens me  
I stare at the apple for a second and then throw it, I close my eyes praying it didn't hit Vidia. When I open my eyes Vidia was standing next to the wall were the apple was lodged in to the wall by the Knife.  
"A deadly aim" Isaac remarks  
"Exactly" Tomas says  
"Isaac we may just have something here" Vidia says "think you could that without a moment's hesitation?" She asks me

* * *

On my profile is a link to 72nd Hunger Games Tribute Guide


	3. Remake and Chariot Ride

"Come away little lass come away to the water,  
To the ones that are waiting only for you."

* * *

I didn't sleep at all the whole night, which if you were counting is now two nights without sleep. But sleep wouldn't allow me to fall it into its arms. So I watched the country side changed from mountains to flat lands to woods to rivers. I watched the sun come up. And I heard Elsa knock on the door and rather loudly tell me it's time to get up in a sing song voice.

I pulled myself out of the plush bed and change into clothes that had been in the closet. Nothing fit right so the clothes just hung on my body. I make my way to dinning cart were Isaac is starting his morning with a drink and Vidia is starting hers with coffee. I sit myself down at the table and start eating eggs and bacon.

"Sleep well?" Elsa asks

I nodded my head up and down telling her I had even though I was lying.

"Good morning" Tomas says walking into the dinning cart

"Well isn't someone chipper this morning. I bet you're excited to see the Capitol" Elsa bubbled

"Absolutely" Tomas agrees

I thought back to the plan we had made last night. I would stay mute until the arena then I could talk, so that I won't seem like a threat. And Tomas would be the gung ho tribute excited to be in the games, so that we got sponsors.

"Scout are you excited?" Elsa asks and I shake left in right to say no which seems to upset Elsa but she becomes excited again. "Well I'm sure you will be once you get there."

"Speaking of once you get there" Vidia says butting into to Elsa to stop her from asking more questions "We will go to the Remake Center, let them do what they want to do you don't protest, understand" We both shake our heads in understanding

"Then tonight is the Chariot Ride which will take you to the Training Center" Isaac says

"And President Snow will give a wonderful speech before you enter" Elsa says interrupting

"Yes a wonderful speech, now when you're on the Chariots Tomas you need to make sure Scout doesn't fall off, we don't want what happen to the District 12 girl last year to happen this year." Isaac continued.

"Tomas, Scout come look" Elsa announced as she made her way to the window, we both got out of our chairs and followed her. We enter cave so there was nothing to see but then it opened up and there was the Capitol and I will admit that it was pretty amazing.

"Isn't it just beautiful" Elsa cooed

We enter the Train Stations were Capitol Citizens are lined up waiting to catch a glimpse at the Tributes. Tomas waves at the people and I slight waved too.

We are then taken to the Remake Center were my Prep team quickly strips me of my clothes and give me my first of four baths. Elsa must of told them I wasn't able to talk because they didn't say anything other than their names, There was Flora and Fawn twins that dressed exactly the same so you can take your pick on which one is which. And then a man Theo that is actual dressed pretty plain for Capitol standers. After the four baths they have me lay down on metal table that is freezing cold. Theo doesn't waste time and starts ripping hair off anywhere that isn't on my head, it's painful and I hold back screams each time he does it. Then he plucks my eyebrows. While he is doing this twin one maybe Flora is doing my nails, and twin two probably Fawn is doing my hair. When there done I am basically hairless, my nails are painted electric blue and have sliver sparks painted on them, Fawn did my make up with dark blue eye shadow around my eyes with more sliver sparks and my hair is cut of its dead ends and put into two braids.

My Prep team leaves and my Stylist comes in, with people bring in lunch and a robe and I happily put on the robe and eat whatever it is, I'm not sure but it taste good. As we eat lunch my Stylist, Thea introduces herself and tells me about her. Thea`s skin is porcelain white, has bright pink eye shadow on with unnaturally blue eyes, and her golden blonde hair is braided and has multiple pink flowers of different sizes in it.

After lunch Thea brings out the outfit that I am wearing for the Chariot Ride. District 5 is usually hard one for stylist were power which may give them too much to work with unlike District 7 were their always tree. Thea has created an outfit that's is a blue corset type top and metal under wear with metal coils coming of it to look like a skirt, and like usually it could spark fake blue electricity by the touch of a button.

Elsa then comes and takes me to were the Chariots are and I meet up with Tomas who is wear a white dress shirt, tan short with suspenders, knee high socks, a blue bow tie, coils around the shirt and pants to serve the same purpose that mine did, and his hair has been neatly brushed back.

"I look stupid" Tomas confesses, I want to agree but the other Tributes are around, so I give him a big smile.

"Yeah, yeah happy Tribute I remember" he says

I notice that the Tributes keep to their own District minus the Careers who are chatting it up like old friends, I notice the girl form district for 4 is dressed like a shell and is sitting by herself as her District Partner chats it up with the rest of the Careers.

In no time we are asked to mount are Chariots. Tomas picks me up and puts me on and then climbs on him stand slightly behind me. Which was smart since it created a barrier for me to fall back on to when the Chariot jerked forward. To the Capitol citizens the way he's standing would look like the way an older brother would stand behind a little sister to protect her.

As we pull out we are faced with the screams of cheers from the Capitol citizens. Tomas waves and catches a rose. I make eye contact with people and have big smile on my face but I keep my hands locked on the Chariot. The ride ends with the Chariot stopping in front of President Snow. He gives the "Wonderful" speech that Elsa said he would and then we are taken in to the Training Center.

Elsa, Vidia, and Isaac are waiting for us there. We get off the Chariot and walk over to them. Elsa quickly informs us that we did a great job and sweeps us over to the elevator and clicks the five button which if the floor level that we will be staying in until the games.


End file.
